


riding the express of love

by dearstarks



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucktasha, Cute Tony Stark, Dorkiness, F/M, M/M, SteveTony, Stony - Freeform, adorable & small steve rogers, boardingschool, dripping dangerously in cute stuff, fluff at the highest, rhodey has redheads wrapped around his pinky finger, tony stark and bucky barnes are buddies, toxic amounts of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-31
Updated: 2020-01-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:54:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22489012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dearstarks/pseuds/dearstarks
Summary: ❝steve went over to board the train,waiting on the stairs just as tony went & hugged mariaand edwin.he hasn't stopped talking,happy! tony whispered in panic. you owe me big timenow,edwin!!edwin chuckled with happy & ruffled his hair. "trust me,you will thank me someday,tony" hesaid with a smile❞
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Natasha Romanov, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9





	riding the express of love

* * *

~~fin~~

love is more than a feeling

it makes you feel alive

it's of all types

you & me have it to ourselves

we're blessed to find it of our own

~~fin~~

> * * *

Maria would always remember the first time she got his first good look of the boy. Big vibrant blue doe eyes, like the ocean. He was tiny, with an oval face, and a riot of blond little curls, chubby cheeks, and small front teeth,with a curious look in his eyes,wandering about the world around him. In a word, adorable.

He was standing with a fierce looking woman, all in a smile. His back was too the train, as he fidgeted nervously. The woman was trying to comfort him, while trying to hide her own nervousness,probably like her own self,nervous at sending her kid away. Maria nudged edwin's shoulder next to her, grabbing his attention. He flicked his head in the duo's direction and looked over, his eyebrows raising up high on his forehead.

"He looks the same age as Anthony"

Maria nodded. Edwin made eye contact with Happy, knowing they were thinking the same thing. Both remembering the sight of a tiny, teary eyed, brunette girl staring at the train in trepidation. It was an old memory, a bittersweet one.

Maria turned then, bending down to her son who was looking all around the station with thrilled curiosity..

"Hey Tony."

Nervous excitement radiated off him, the boy couldn't stand still, bouncing up and down in the balls of his feet. Edwin and Happy both chuckled at the site. His black hair a familiar mess, and big brown doe eyes bright. It tugged at her heart, every time she looked at that face. Her baby boy,the sunshine of her life,whom she saw growing up from being a ickle little baby who couldn't even speak to her to creating chaos all day long,going away from her on the scarlet train,11 months a year .She'd ache for holding him into her arms again.

"See that child over there?" Maria pointed out the duo standing at the end of the train station. Harry's nose scrunched up.

"You mean the blondie boy?"

"Yes the boy,i think he's of your age."

Tony's nose un-scrunched, and he looked at the boy curiously. Maria stood back up and watched as Tony gave the group a good once over. He had always had a good sense about him. Soon enough, the boys eyes softened, and his shoulders sagged a bit. The trio watched as everything clicked into place for the boy.

"He looks nervous. This gotta be a big change for him too, huh?"

Edwin,Happy & Maria shared a smile before nodding to their young charge.

"Yes, I would think so. How about you go and introduce yourself? I'm sure it might be a little less scary if he had a friend to help him."

Tony's cheeks turned red as a tomato, His eyes getting comically large.

"Friends!!!!????"

Edwin and Happy couldn't help but laugh at the alarm in his voice. Maria stared at them like they were aliens.

"Yes, friends. Believe me, it's better to learn to talk to now, rather than later. Right Edwin?"Happy who was quiet during the whole exchange,suddenly spoke up

He nudged Edwin, and the butler blushed remembering his very public failed attempt at asking out his wife in 5th year. Maria took a moment to bask in her own smugness before turning back to Tony, who was still eyeing the other child as if he was a viper.

"Trust me, you will thank us someday."

And with that, she nudged her son towards the duo,edwin & happy following close behind, they watched as tony hesitantly approached the strangers.

"Hello, my name is Anthony Stark,but call me Tony. It's nice to meet you."

He bowed to the group, solemnly. The woman and the young boy looked startled at the little messy haired boy in front of them.

"Hello Anthony-Tony sorry. My name is Steve Rogers" he had a small smile on his face.He tried to make talk,but he was nervous,so he failed.

"You just nod your head, or you can hold your hand out if you want to show favor."

The audience watched in fascination as Steve held out his hand hesitantly, and Tony took it in his own hand, bowing over it, and kissing it before letting go.

"You exicted about the ride?"

"Can't even wait" The blondie nodded. Maria couldn't help but notice that he was clutching the hand Tony kissed to chest, his cheeks a bright pink.

"Yeah, I thought so. Mum told me the scarlet train we're going in has sweets along the way,which is not good for us, but I think it's wicked cool. Would you like to be friends? I could show you around ."

"R-really?"

His voice squeaked out, as Tony nodded.

Introductions were made all around. The Woman,Sarah Rogers was lively & kind.She whispered her gratitude and thanks to Maria,for coming to speak to them,and for Tony's courtesy and good will towards her bubbly,nervous, overwhelmed boy. Maria just smiled & smiled at the two little ones. Steve it seemed, had gotten over his bought of shyness and was chatting animatedly with Tony,who was making all sorts of weird funny faces,and looking wide eyed at the first person except his family who talked to him.

Soon enough it was time to board the train, Tony came running to hug over herself, and steve stowed his trunk before came back to say goodbye. Sarah hugged & kissed Steve on the cheek,to which he made annoying noises,but smiled and said goodbye, tears in his eyes, which only made them look even bigger. Maria felt sorry for the population of the school. When ever he learned to weaponize those big vibrant blues, he doubted any of them would be able to say no.

He turned to me,Edwin and Happy, letting know how much he enjoyed meeting us. Then went back to the train,waiting on the stairs for Tony ,who was busy in his antics to impress Sarah,who was giggling madly.She noticed and ushered tony and tony went & hugged happy and edwin.

he hasn't stopped talking,happy! tony whispered in panic. you owe me big time now,edwin!! edwin chuckled with happy & ruffled his hair. "trust me,you will thank me someday,tony" he said with a smile

First message home: year 1

hey to edwin and happy,since i know mom wouldn't be there(business work with howard)

dormitory #12

i met some more people on the train.the ride was fun,but the most funny moment was when i bought some sweets and steve made an act of lending it to me and ate some of them all to his own.like wow i met someone who causes mischief like me . yay! i even claimed dads old bed. the one you told me about, right next to the window. the building is like a castle,and is so big! And the main art all passed through at school, you should have seen steve's face! He was looking as if world's best lottery landed in front of him. Oh yeah, he got into my dormitory as well. I met 3 people in my dormitory,james 1 aka james rhodes and james 2 aka james bucky barnes. seems this bucky has been friends with steve before.no worries,i coincidentally swapped rhodey's and his bags,so he sleeps in the corner and steve sleeps b/w my bed and rhodey's .haven't sneaked into the girl's rooms,but i would soon.

the food is delicious,but WHY DOESN'T IT HAVE CHEESEBURGERS A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY get a lawyer ready for me im going to sue the school and-

sorry, gotta cut this letter short. these pair of twins, the odinson twins, told everyone that the curfew place was cursed. And now some barmy red bint named natasha keeps trying to cut a piece of steve's hair off to attach it in her weird scary stuff charm.

love and miss you lots!tell happy i sneaked off his cheeseburgers again!

tony

train station : end of year 1

maria wasn't bouncing up and down in imitation of her young son,but inside she was super anxious. she couldn't help it though, this was the longest she had ever been separated from her son. So she waited, impatiently, at the familiar site of the scarlet train pulling into the station, steam billowing, brakes screeching. It seemed like it took ages for the kids to finally start disembarking.

And there he was, hand in hand with a familiar little blonde. Tony jumped into her arms, which meant steve also jumped into her arms. she fell over on impact, edwin laughing, and, wait, was that a camera in the bastard's hands? where had he been hiding that?

the kids were talking a mile a minute.

"Those little shits!-"

"Language tony!"

"I don't know how they did it-"

"super sticky glue I think-"

"Those bastards-"

"Quite a clever way to get past the restriction for art making materials-"

"I had to go to the bathroom!-"

"I-I didn't look."

They were both on his lap, both babbling, and maria was confused.

"Quiet."

she didn't yell, but she used what tony called her 'mommy voice.'

"now, one at a time, and with as few words as possible, tell me what's going on."

with a huff of frustration tony looked at steve, handing him the reins with a slight nod of his head. edwin and maria shared a quick eyebrow raise before looking back at the two.steve, with a dreadfully adorable determined look on his face held up their clasped hands.

"the odinson twins pranked us. our hands have been stuck together the entire train ride."

maria and edwin held it together for all of 5 seconds before they started laughing uproariously. maria hugged the two kids tight, eliciting a squeak from steve, and a growl from tony. letting them go she got up,applying some sort of resin.

"wait, did you say you had to go to the bathroom?"

edwin nearly doubled over this time around, at the site of the two both turning red from the tips of the ears, down to their necks. studiously looking anywhere but at each other. edwin surreptitiously took another photo of the adorable duo. maria meanwhile,now seperated their hands. they both sighed in relief and massaged at their hands vigorously.

"So what are you gonna do for revenge?"

"EDWIN!" maria admonished him.

"Oh trust me, I have a few ideas."

train station: end of year 2

"hey tony, you forgot your tie in the train."

edwin looked up as a gangling brown haired boy came running up.

"thanks! hey edwin, this is my friend james rhodes,aka rhodey. he's a git who teams up with natasha ,the redhead ,all year,not to leave out,pepper too. horde of redheads he carries everywhere with him,doesn't he.git"

the guy blushed before rolling his eyes, and hitting tony in the arm.

"smooth mate, best introduction ever."

the two ended up laughing, and started talking excitedly about their summer plans and getting together for a game of cards. they were interrupted by a loudly shrieked 'tony', right before the boy was tackled to the ground by a blonde.

"i gotta go! my dadda has come,and waiting with moms, we are going straight to the airport. but i'm gonna miss you so much! and thank you for the travel journal , I'm going to use it daily. paris is going to be so much fun, but not as much fun without you of course,mischief partner. i'll write you every day, and send you lots of pictures. I wish you could come, I'm gonna miss you all summer. I'll be sure to send you lots of treats and souvenirs.-"

happy chuckled while edwin took a photo. he had hardly stopped to take a breath. he kept going, even as edwin lifted him gently off a squirming tony.he didn't even pause in his diatribe.

"oh and you better write back promptly. if you don't I'll start joining the twins and pranking you the next year, and i've got nasty ones in mind mister."

tony's eyes got big, a bit worried at that proclamation.

"did everyone forget about me,the coolest punk of your avengers club"

steve turned to bucky then, who eyed him warily.

"keep getting him out of trouble this summer. i better not come back to find bucky with any schemes,or his annoying dad memes"

The boy rolled his eyes.

"merlin rogers, you're turning into one mommy chick"

the little blonde haired boy, stomped his foot,as if he were the leader of the entire military of the nation. tony stood slightly behind him, miming to bucky to stop being the same,insufferable comment master

"you will keep your comments to yourself when talking to me, or so help me, I will tell your mother about those dirty magazines i know are hidden in your trunk!"

edwin grinned in delight, happy nearly choked, while tony knowingly glanced at his friend,as if this happened the whole year in repeat. the look on his face the definition of 'i told you so'. bucky sputtered, his cheeks a deep beat red, as steve turned to tony giving him one last bone crushing hug, before turning to rhodey,and bucky, and giving them quick hugs as well.

steve gave a hi-fi to edwin and happy,before darting off.

train station: beginning of Year 3

hey butler and hogan and mom look who I found!"

maria turned from happy to see tony with steve piggy backing him, big smiles on both their faces as they giggled up at him. A flash to his right had him nearly jumping out of his skin. edwin and that damn camera of his that he kept hidden the gods knows where.

she had a call from her pa, and she had to go, so she signalled edwin to take care of tony

"Well if it isn't the prettiest little blonde in all of London."

tony rolled his eyes while letting his friend down off his back. steve blushed prettily before puffing his chest up and proudly commanding "i am not little blonde,mr jarvis"

"Now what did I tell you about all that 'mr' business. how many times do I have to tell you to call me edwin, huh prince?"

"at least a few more times." he replied cheekly.

tony pouted

"Hey Guys!"

bucky barnes came running up to the two, Bumping into his childhood best friend, sending him falling on his bum.

"hey edwin."

The bumbling teen greeted, oblivious to all else. edwin bent to help steve back to his feet.

"Thats mr butler jarvis to you,mr barnes."

bucky turned bright red, his adams apple bobbed as he took a deep swallow. steve giggled, as he brushed himself self off edwin .

"Uh, um, tony I'm gonna go grab a capartment before all the good ones are taken. See ya on the train."

The freckled boy made a hasty retreat then. tony cut his eyes to his butler, friend, uncle , edwin merely shrugged before turning back to Steve. They spoke of his trip to Paris, and the photos that he had sent back to tony. Soon enough the train whistle was blowing, and there was a flurry of movement. steve excused himself to go grab his things, and say a final goodbye to his mum.

"Tony." edwin nudged him "Go help steve with his trunk."

"What?"

"It's always polite to help a friend out, you know that."

happy suddenly announced his presence by fake coughing, as edwin chuckled. "Trust me boy, you will thank me someday."

With a great big sigh, and a roll of his eyes, Tony went off and offered steve a hand in carrying his luggage onto the train. He accepted gladly, with a quick hug and kiss to the boys cheek. edwin and happy smiled at one another, watching as tony looked inside a wicker basket the blonde was holding, only to duck back quickly as a large black paw swiped out of the opening at him.

Letter Home: Year 3

mom,edwin

you sent my guitar? i am so happy, mom it has the best strings and i practiced whatever you taught me i love you both

By the way, can you send some chocolate, and by some, I mean a butt load. steve is taking every class! don't ask me how, i have no idea. it's driving bucky spare though, and he's been bugging steve like crazy. I don't think he is getting enough sleep either, and he looks a bit pale, and his voice is getting very shrill! so yes, please send chocolate, immediately. (his favorite are the little squares filled with sea salt caramel and nuts)

tony

p.s. send some dog treats! steve gifted me a dog, his name is snuffles, and he is cuddly, and his black fur is so soft and he's so adorable  
he's just like steve,lovable and small  
the large paw that mawled me in the start of the year is now my favorite pet for ever!

train station: end of year 3

edwin frowns.tony and bucky are talking in low tones, making plans for the summer. steve is wringing his hands, off to the side and down the station a bit with his parents. casting looks to the two boys, his eyes suspiciously glassy.

"Where is steve?"

maria asks next to him, looking around curiously. bucky made an annoyed sound in the back of his throat.

"he's a liar!"

edwin narrowed his eyes at the gangly boy.

"What are you talking about?"

bucky glanced over at steve down the way, who quickly looked away.

he's been taking every class to go on a student exchange program so he can get rid of us! because he liked paris so much!

"Your friend, was given the privilege and responsibility of taking on a full course load,of learning a further type of arts, and you two ditched him because you think he wants to leave you? have you even asked him? "

tony stared the ground, not meeting his mom's eyes, a frown on his face as he replied.

"I never got to see him. he was always in the art wall, or with his head in a book. he never had time for me-us I mean.and how does he even think we would not come on the program with him? he told us he thinks we won't like to come on the best thing ever, going on a program with no homework and all experience, maybe me building bots and bucky further learning different types of tunes on the piano

i am sorry okay! i had to prove myself able for handling the workload, and you were always busy goofing off, so maybe i just didn't think you would be interested in going with me!

tony and bucky were silent for a moment. then as if the glint in their eyes proved anything, they just showed their applications stating they were going on the program too, all in all with steve

surprise you idiot we are already there we just needed a way to break the news to you so you wouldn't be like angry that we didn't tell you before. we tried for the program a little late than you, but since you were always working we didn't think you would believe us do we did this act.we're sorry Steve, we-

steve was too dumbfounded to say anything. he just teared up and hugged his friends  
bucky pushed away the hug after a while,muttering about hating hugs, while tony cracked another joke, and soon they were like old best friends, as if the fight never happened

no need to mention about how edwin   
& maria were grinning like foxes with sarah at the three

train station: beginning of year 4

happy watched as edwin took a photo of steve and bucky bickering. tony was grinning like a chesire cat, with imaginary popcorn in his hand, as if there was a movie directed before him and he knew what was going to happen

"bucky barnes , if you continue to talk about the bloody sports tournament i will rip your bollocks off! i was there for merlin's sake, i don't need a rehash of it every other bloody day."

edwin nearly choked at steve's language, as tony smiled lazily.

The train whistle blew, and there was a flurry of hugs and goodbyes. this time, tony had all sorts of weird stuff in his bag, so steve picked up Tony's extra stuff for him, earning him a kiss on the cheek, which he merely rolled his eyes at,but he was blushing red like a tomato. and with a quick flash,edwin caught it all on camera.

letter home: year 4

they have this whole year craft tournament and balls for the people all year long! and these people from other schools have come here.

And all the girls and guys are going round the bend because there is to be some sort of dance, and foreign boys with accents. thank the gods atleast steve has his head on straight and priorities right. i wouldn't be able to stand it if he kept talking about dates and stuff like these others crazy birds.LIKE BUCKY AND RHODEY ARE ACTING! they're already having their dates, bucky is taking natalia, how even i don't know her stare would kill a person if possible, and rhodey has taken pepper.again with the redheads, why am i stuck with friends who always betray me to redheads

hurt & betrayed

tony

letter home: year 4

!his date to the ball is margaret carter!someone ,who he never has known, someone who he never saw before this ridiculous ball! she is too old for him! and her hands were all over him, it wasn't proper, even if margaret assured me steve is just a friend to her!sure,like i believe those lies! and why was he blushing like a idiot in love!

i was going to tell that to steve but bucky and rhodey beat me to it and they both are in the infirmary. bucky is also currently having stitches for accusing steve with *fraternizing with the enemy*

tony

3 years later, year 7

tony had showed steve around his newly made lab,where he showed steve his bots, dum-e, butterfingers & YOU, steve was obviously sketching the whole area out, with tony's smiles and tony's big messy rooms and wires and equations and his quirks and tony's bots & tony's eyes

later, tony stumbles upon them. his brain goes haywire, astonishingly for a genius of his calibre

tony meets all his friends outside in the main movie room, with all of them arguing which series to watch, and then tony just commands tony's ai, JARVIS, who sassingly cuts tony & plays on steve's favoured buffy the vampire slayer, and tony is just dumbstruck. he should not have added on sass in the code he made for jarvis, but then he watches the screen on, and he just slides next to steve, his hands on steve's thigh

steve just kisses him,and tony is dumbstruck for the second time in the day

you know tony, i am in love with you, you annoying genius

and tony just smiles, and steve feels like he's at home, right with tony

they're cuddling up in a blanket, with god knows what kind of almond flavoured ice cream steve has experimented and made, and everyone else rolls there eyes, with bucky and rhodey whistling in the background, and this is tony's home

he was glad he listened to mom and edwin ,years ago

now he's picking out chunks of ice cream to lay on steve's face so he has a valid reason to lick off ice cream,(off steve's face, of course) and steve is red, and steve loves tony

that's all he needed

_fin_


End file.
